Carlo Pellicani (after Carlo Buzzi), Samson and the Lion

1807-13
Marble
West façade, Milan Cathedral

In Judges 14:5-6b, "Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Thamnatha. And when they were come to the vineyards of the town, behold a young lion met him raging and roaring. And the spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and he tore the lion as he would have torn a kid in pieces, having nothing at all in his hand."

This relief sculpture is in a sequence of ten images from scripture. Three on the left and three on the right commemorate Old Testament precursors of Christ. The four in the center flank the main door of the cathedral and relate to Mary and the New Testament.

This is the Samson's first exploit, so the sculptor has pictured him as a young man.

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Photographed at the cathedral by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.